Oakley Groms at Bear

Big Bear Lake, CA—Two fun and free events make their return to Bear Mountain this coming weekend for snowboarders and skiers 9-20 years old. On Saturday, January 6, Bear Mountain will host Oakley’s Uprising event, which will challenge snowboarders on a unique setup of transitions and jibbing elements. Then on Sunday, all kids 9 to 13 will compete for a chance to become a Southern Californian representative of Sports Illustrated Kids’ Next Snow Search. Tons of Oakley eyewear gear will be on the line both days.

This Saturday, Oakley’s Uprising will take place at The Scene area of Bear Mountain, which will showcase a mini version of The Oakley Arctic Challenge (TAC), a contest that pushes the progression of the best transition riders around the globe on a world-class quarterpipe. This year, TAC will begin at the end of February; make sure to catch all the action on Oakley’s live webcast.

Registration for Oakley’s Uprising is from 7:30 to 9:00 am in the upstairs Boardroom for the first 100 competitors that sign up. The field will be broken up into three divisions: 15 and under; 16-20 men; and open women. Make sure to stick around after this amazing event for the free after-party where there will be several videos showcased, food, games and tons more starting at 7:30 pm.

Matty Swanson, Global Snow Sports Marketing Manager at Oakley said, “This event is a great way for Oakley to get involved on a grassroots level and allow the future rippers of tomorrow a platform to showcase their skills. Events like this allow us to really scout out the top talent in Southern California. We are stoked to be involved with Bear Mountain again because of its amazing park, staff and overall scene. The Oakley Arctic Challenge is a top initiative for us in 2007 and to showcase a mini version of it will be a great start to our promotional campaign.

On Sunday, freestyle snowboarders and skiers ages 9 to 13 will compete on a variety of jib features in The Scene area with the winner representing Southern California at the 2007 Sports Illustrated Kids’ Next Snow Search. This is a qualifying event for a national talent search to find 25 young athletes who best represent the next generation of extreme skiers and snowboarders. The series will culminate in the championships at Killington Resort, VT, on March 2 to 4, 2007.